Visualize a salesperson. Did you picture a slick, pushy used-car salesperson wearing a plaid suit? Or maybe a well-dressed fast-talking executive?
College of Business (COB) Faculty Member Chris Samfilippo says these are typical stereotypes associated with the sales field. “That image of a salesperson is the reason few students see themselves in the role of a corporate salesperson. But the modern-day seller is far different from ‘slick’ and ‘pushy’ because the modern day buyer is smart and discerning.”
The other reason the stereotypes no longer apply? In today’s ambitious society, nearly everyone is in sales — regardless of whether or not you have it in your title.
“Sales is about building relationships by listening to customers' needs and then meeting those needs. It’s what people do everyday in both their personal lives and in their professional ones,” said Samfilippo, a lecturer in Marketing. “We, as humans, have so many transactions with each other every day. But not all of us are good at quickly solving problems or being efficient in communication. These are must-have skills.”
Starting this fall, UM-Dearborn is offering a new certificate program to help people develop skills like effective communication and relationship-building.
The Sales Management and Personal Selling Certificate will give people training in how to create rapport with customers and learn customer needs, develop up-front contracts, promote themselves through networking, set goals and more.
To ensure students gain the skills and knowledge needed to be successful, UM-Dearborn has partnered with Sandler, a globally recognized professional development and training organization that works with clients that include Google, Girl Scouts, Citibank and Microsoft.
The UM-Dearborn certificate program begins with two courses (Marketing 352 and Marketing 434) that explain marketing and sales concepts and theories. The next two courses (Marketing 435 and Marketing 440) feature the Sandler approach. The classes emphasize active engagement role-plays that simulate potential on-the-job interactions, develop a no-pressure prospecting script and more.
The 12-credit program complements any field of study and offers project-based learning experiences — which is a staple of a UM-Dearborn education. Campus undergraduates are welcome to enroll, as long as they meet the academic criteria.
After completing the coursework, students will receive a Sales Management and Personal Selling Certificate from the College of Business. Students also will be eligible to take the Sandler Bronze Certification Exam, which is an internationally acclaimed credential.
"The Wall Street Journal quotes data from Zip Recruiter saying that open sales positions have risen 65% over the past year," said COB Dean Raju Balakrishnan. "Selling is a vital part of any business and those skills transfer to all fields. Sales goes far beyond selling products to customers – it includes selling your skills and ideas to your colleagues, bosses, and potential employers. Recognizing the importance of effective sales and communications, the College of Business wanted to offer the best sales education platform possible.”
Sandler President Erik Meier said he’s been impressed with the caliber of interns from UM-Dearborn. And when Meier came to campus and heard COB Dean Balakrishnan speak at an event about how important selling and promotion is in every aspect of business, Meier said it solidified his belief that UM-Dearborn is the right fit for a partnership.
“One aspect of Sandler training is about taking the pressure and tension out of the sales process. It’s letting people (who take the training) know that the word ‘no’ is not a bad thing, and to free yourself from that pressure of fearing the word ‘no.’ That’s big,” Meier said. “On surveys, we’re often told by business professionals that it’s changed their lives and they wish they would have had this training 20 or 30 years ago. This certificate is available to people of all experience levels. But, based on the feedback we’ve received, we wanted to make an added effort to educate people at the start of their careers.”
Samfilippo, who's held numerous positions in sales and marketing prior to teaching at UM-Dearborn, said consumers typically don’t think about the impact sales people have on their everyday lives.
“We limit our vision of a typical transaction to seeing only the salesperson who is selling us the product that’s in front of us at that moment. But every transaction goes much deeper than that. As consumers, we see very little of the depth of the supply chain.”
For example, when a consumer goes to the dealership to buy a vehicle, most people typically don’t think about what goes into the car’s creation, like aluminum ore being mined to make the vehicle or to the supplier who shapes and paints the fender.
“So many hands touch the process — it goes beyond the supplier and manufacturer. There’s transport, insurance, promotion and so much more. In reality, there are probably 50 sales transactions that happened before the vehicle buyer stands before the vehicle seller.”
As Samfilippo said, selling goes way beyond the auto industry. But with the campus situated right next to the Motor City and having longtime business and engineering partnerships, it’s important to recognize the economic role that the automobile plays in the community.
Recently, at the Mackinac Policy Conference, Ford Motor Company announced their plans to double down on electrical vehicles (EV) — and investing $2 billion right here in Michigan.
Samfillppo predicts that it will create many manufacturing jobs where people with sales skills are needed. He also adds, “GM just announced their plans to invest $7 billion in Michigan manufacturing to help them compete in EV Production. That means there will be a vacuum for talented salespeople in Michigan.”
Meier said the timing is right for the certificate program — and he’s looking forward to Sandler partnering to educate UM-Dearborn students.
The earlier that good communication is learned, the better for everyone involved, he said.
“There is a methodology on how to get a better grasp on behaviors and communication, and to take ownership over our actions. We teach it in a step-based process at Sandler,” Meier said. “Whether it’s with our significant others, parents, kids or coworkers, how to confidently communicate and build strong relationships is critical. The training is packaged as sales because it will help you become a better relationship builder, which makes for a better salesperson. But at its core, it’s understanding the importance of healthy dialogue.”
Article by Sarah Tuxbury.
